March in Bowral has always carried a certain warmth. The last golden stretch of summer lingers over Bong Bong Street. Shop doors sit open. Children wander in with a coin in hand and somewhere, behind the hum of machinery and the clink of glass, innovation is underway.
This month in our centenary storytelling series, we turn to a remarkable chapter in the history of Springett’s Arcade. The era of soft drinks, ice works and frozen food distribution. It was a time defined not only by refreshment, but by bold thinking and forward momentum.
“If We Could Be First, We’d Go For It”
In 1994, Ted Springett addressed the local Historical Society and reflected on the philosophy that shaped his family’s business life. His words were simple, but powerful:
“If we could be the first with anything, we’d go for it.”
That mindset propelled the expansion of the Springett soft drink division in the 1940s. What began as cordial production evolved into something far more ambitious. A state-of-the-art automated filling plant was installed and Bowral Cordial Works was launched. A significant achievement for a regional enterprise.
At a time when many country businesses remained modest and cautious, the Springett’s leaned into experimentation. They were not content to follow trends set in Sydney. They wanted to help create them.
The Passiona Experiment
One such opportunity came at the suggestion of Mr Cottee. The product in question was Passiona, a passionfruit cordial made from fresh juice. It was delicious, but fragile. With no preservatives, it would spoil quickly if not consumed promptly. It had never been successfully bottled as a carbonated soft drink.
The Springett’s saw possibility where others saw risk.
They became the first people in Australia to bottle, aerate and seal Passiona as a soft drink. It was a bold technical and commercial experiment. When it proved successful, Cottee’s began bottling it in Sydney.
What started in Bowral helped shift the trajectory of a product nationally. It is a quiet but extraordinary example of how regional innovation can ripple outward.
Ginger Beer in Stone
Ginger beer was another favourite of the era. Originally bottled in heavy stone jars, solid, traditional and durable, it carried the charm of earlier times. However, changing health regulations eventually required the discontinuation of stoneware bottling.
True to form, the Springett’s adapted. They moved production into dark glass bottles for ginger beer and their expanding range of soft drinks.
Rather than resist change, they refined their methods and continued forward.
Adaptability, not nostalgia, sustained the business.
From Ice Blocks to Refrigeration
Before refrigerators became common in district homes, ice was essential. The Springett ice works produced over 6,000 blocks per week. These heavy, crystal slabs were delivered to households throughout the region, packed into ice chests that kept milk cool and meat safe.
By the late 1940s, domestic refrigeration began replacing ice chests. Many businesses might have viewed this technological shift as a threat. The Springetts saw it as the next opportunity.
The ice works closed, but not the enterprise.
In its place, a Cold Storage and Freezing Plant was established for wholesale distribution of frozen foods throughout the district. The family became the sole country agent for Bird’s Eye Frozen Foods, positioning Bowral as a regional hub for modern food supply.
It was a significant pivot. From ice production to frozen distribution, the business once again moved ahead of the curve.
Early Mornings & Frozen Chickens
Ted’s recollections also capture the physical effort behind the progress. Innovation was not abstract; it was hands-on.
“At that stage it was no trouble for us to get up at five o’clock and go to farms around the district, out as far as Penrose and buy a couple of hundred chooks, bring them back, kill and pluck them ourselves and then freeze them.”
This was not a distant corporate operation. It was local. It was labour-intensive. It was deeply connected to surrounding farms and families.
The Springett enterprise linked town and countryside. From Penrose paddocks to Bong Bong Street shopfronts, the family created a supply chain long before the term became fashionable.
Enterprise at the Heart of Bowral
What stands out most this month is not only the products; cordial, Passiona, ginger beer, ice blocks, frozen chickens, but more importantly, the mindset behind them.
The Springett’s were observant. They listened. They experimented. They adapted quickly when circumstances shifted. They were willing to invest in equipment, test new methods and take calculated risks.
Their story reminds us that regional towns have always been places of ingenuity. Bowral was not waiting to be shaped by metropolitan trends. It was actively participating in shaping them.
A Legacy of Adaptability
As we mark 100 years of Springett’s Arcade, March invites us to reflect on this spirit of enterprise.
From bottling Australia’s first aerated Passiona to producing 6,000 ice blocks a week, from stone ginger beer jars to modern freezing plants.
This was (and remains) a family business that understood momentum.
They did not cling to what was comfortable. They built what was next.
In doing so, they helped define the commercial character of Bowral for generations to come.
